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Multi tools that predate leatherman ?
- Thread starter lonediver
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2002
- Messages
- 1,356
Here are a couple of examples of farrier's tools. I have no idea how old these particular knives are, but I think that the style predates even SAKs. I'm not interested in collecting them, but would like to know more about them:
http://www.jbrucevoyles.com/kan/DCP_4207.JPG
http://www.jbrucevoyles.com/kan/DCP_4210.JPG
http://www.jbrucevoyles.com/kan/DCP_4207.JPG
http://www.jbrucevoyles.com/kan/DCP_4210.JPG
In one of Bernard Levines books he has a small section devoted to multi tools , approximately 6 pages I think . at the time of printing he had included some of the earlier leathermans . Also are mentioned some of the earlier plier and wrench based multi tools with names such as O . Barnett and Cattauruguss who produced tools in the 1900's and 1910's . The Helirath
plir-nif made about the same time in california or the C.P. wrench knife made in tennessee . There were many plier and wrench knives both pre and post world war II in europe with stampings of hoffritz , voss , seaboard steel , hubeo , L'electric , are some that I have come across . There were a lot of plier based fishing tools knives called fishermans friend , sportsmans pal and other names that again were produced from the 30's through at least the seventies . I have in excess of 20 variations of these .
Is there anyone here that knows when the first saks were produced ?
tarsier ,
Those knives that you provided the links too are more properly termed a horsemans knife , rather than a professional farriers tool . though used to do some of the functions that a farrier provided an individual rider would have carried some an item for " roadside repairs " , clearing stones from horseshoes or hoofs with the curved implement the saw or the curved hawkbill blade for trimming the hooves or pad . The punch or awl for punching leather , all implements to compliment ones riding pleasure or ease . Does that bring these to a better perspective ?
plir-nif made about the same time in california or the C.P. wrench knife made in tennessee . There were many plier and wrench knives both pre and post world war II in europe with stampings of hoffritz , voss , seaboard steel , hubeo , L'electric , are some that I have come across . There were a lot of plier based fishing tools knives called fishermans friend , sportsmans pal and other names that again were produced from the 30's through at least the seventies . I have in excess of 20 variations of these .
Is there anyone here that knows when the first saks were produced ?
tarsier ,
Those knives that you provided the links too are more properly termed a horsemans knife , rather than a professional farriers tool . though used to do some of the functions that a farrier provided an individual rider would have carried some an item for " roadside repairs " , clearing stones from horseshoes or hoofs with the curved implement the saw or the curved hawkbill blade for trimming the hooves or pad . The punch or awl for punching leather , all implements to compliment ones riding pleasure or ease . Does that bring these to a better perspective ?
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2001
- Messages
- 1,217
Actually, one of the most noted authorities of "pre-leatherman" multi-tools, is a good friend, and near neighbor of mine, Howard Melnick. He is also a major collector of Stanhope knives. Probably the the "first" modern, production made multi-tool (available to the public, on a large scale basis) should be credited to Al Mar, with his rendition of the OSS escape tool that was produced in small quantity during WWII. I'll ask Howard today what he thinks, and I'll probably get some expalanation like..."Sheffield was the real epicenter of the cutlery....I have a 1643 tool made by...." 
There are alot of "specialty tools" and it really depends how you define "multi-tool" are you interested in things that are "more tool" or "more knife". I like the definition that the "primary" function is more "tool" whereas the SAKs are "more knife".
From what Howard tells me, there are very "blurred boudaries" in this area, and apparantly "the corkscrew guys are....just a different breed altogether"
There are alot of "specialty tools" and it really depends how you define "multi-tool" are you interested in things that are "more tool" or "more knife". I like the definition that the "primary" function is more "tool" whereas the SAKs are "more knife".From what Howard tells me, there are very "blurred boudaries" in this area, and apparantly "the corkscrew guys are....just a different breed altogether"
Thanks for the timeline Tarsier , I will be glad to share my collection with you .
I always enjoy an appreciative audience . It will take a little while as my wife just acquired a digital camera and I need to get familar with it also we just moved and are still settling in . I warn you that the collection is getting rather extensive . I could send you some links to some of the unusual contemporary ones without too much trouble if you would like .
I always enjoy an appreciative audience . It will take a little while as my wife just acquired a digital camera and I need to get familar with it also we just moved and are still settling in . I warn you that the collection is getting rather extensive . I could send you some links to some of the unusual contemporary ones without too much trouble if you would like .
Marcangel ,
how lucky you are to have Howard as a friend , levines book has a number of photos of Howards collection in his book. I would love to see - hear anything that he might have to say . I have both of Al mars muli tools in my collection and I agree that the definition of multi tools can be highly subjective . I like how you defined it and yes corkscrew people are a breed to themselves .
how lucky you are to have Howard as a friend , levines book has a number of photos of Howards collection in his book. I would love to see - hear anything that he might have to say . I have both of Al mars muli tools in my collection and I agree that the definition of multi tools can be highly subjective . I like how you defined it and yes corkscrew people are a breed to themselves .
tarsier ,
I have gotten more settled now so that if you would like for me to send you photos of some of my collection I am now able to do so . But I will need you to e - mail me so that I can send them to you since your e - mail address is blocked here .
I have gotten more settled now so that if you would like for me to send you photos of some of my collection I am now able to do so . But I will need you to e - mail me so that I can send them to you since your e - mail address is blocked here .
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2000
- Messages
- 1,001
During WW2 the OSS had an "Escape Tool" that was a multitool...Al Mar made a great reproduction of it several years ago. Other than that I'd say SAKs were the first purpose built multitool marketed.
Thank you for posting the pictures Tarsier , here is a description for them .
# 1 of the first set designed by a J.P. Sonstre , made in La Beche , France in 1931 . Equiped with a crescent wrench , awl , corkscrew , knife and a blade that is a file on one side and a ruler on the other and a wire stripping v notch . Tool is 5 1/8 inches long in the closed position .
#2 of the first set is a C.P. wrench knife patented on 5 - 28 - 08 , made in Bristol , Tennessee . A standard screwdriver on the base of the tool , a foldout knife and a spring loaded self adjusting wrench . Length of tool is
5 1/4 inches in the closed position .
# 3 of the first set is a wrench knife Made in Japan in the 1950's . It is a copy of a similar German one . This one is equiped with a knife , the second blade having a standard screwdriver tip , bottle opener and a file on one side . A fold out philips screwdriver , the knurled nut runs a bolt in the handle that expands on contracts the lower wrench jaw . The tool is 4 1/4 inches long in the closed position .
# 1 of the second set is of two , the one on the left is made by Cattauragus about 1910 , equipped with crescent wrench , knife , bottle opener and a screwdriver . It is 4 1/2 inches long in the closed position . Handles are a jigged bone .
The one on the right is made by J. C. Lewis patented Nov. 20 , 1900 . Equipped with pliers , the one handle on the end has a right angle hook for picking stones out of a horses hooves , A wire cutter in the plier jaws , 2 wrench sizes one on each side of the plier jaws , knife , awl and a screwdriver on the base of the tool . It is 4 1/8 inches long in the closed position . Handles are a jigged bone .
# 2 of the second set again is 2 tools . The one on the left was made by a D . Peres of Germany , I do not have a date on this tool . It is equiped with a hammer , claw , knife , awl , double sided file with a screwdriver tip . Tool is 6 5/8 inches long in the closed position . Handles are of wood .
The second tool is made by Huge Berns of Germany , again I do not have a date on this one but I would guesss both to be from the 50's . This one is equiped with a hammer , claw , hatchet , saw , knife , philipsd and standard screwdriver , file and an awl . Tool is 7 1/8 inches long assembled with hatchet - hammer head on , 3 7/8 inches long with the head off .
# 3 This has three more undated tools , the first two on the left are both pruning multitools . Both made in England . The first on the left is made by Ibberson It is 3 5/8 inches long closed . Note the fold up handle . Handles are of wood . The second is made by Wade Butcher of sheffield . It is 4 1/2 inches long . It also comes with a pull out tweezers . Handles are a jigged bone . The third tool sometimes called a harp tool , sometimes a bow tool .
It comes with a saw , awl , can opener , bottle opener , tack hammer , screw starter , knife , standard screwdriver .
There are many more examples of early multi tools , a great many seem to have been oriented toward fishermen . They having a need for tools of a compact nature .
Any others here with anything to contribute to this discussion ? I will be gone for 2 weeks but I would enjoy seeing this continued .
# 1 of the first set designed by a J.P. Sonstre , made in La Beche , France in 1931 . Equiped with a crescent wrench , awl , corkscrew , knife and a blade that is a file on one side and a ruler on the other and a wire stripping v notch . Tool is 5 1/8 inches long in the closed position .
#2 of the first set is a C.P. wrench knife patented on 5 - 28 - 08 , made in Bristol , Tennessee . A standard screwdriver on the base of the tool , a foldout knife and a spring loaded self adjusting wrench . Length of tool is
5 1/4 inches in the closed position .
# 3 of the first set is a wrench knife Made in Japan in the 1950's . It is a copy of a similar German one . This one is equiped with a knife , the second blade having a standard screwdriver tip , bottle opener and a file on one side . A fold out philips screwdriver , the knurled nut runs a bolt in the handle that expands on contracts the lower wrench jaw . The tool is 4 1/4 inches long in the closed position .
# 1 of the second set is of two , the one on the left is made by Cattauragus about 1910 , equipped with crescent wrench , knife , bottle opener and a screwdriver . It is 4 1/2 inches long in the closed position . Handles are a jigged bone .
The one on the right is made by J. C. Lewis patented Nov. 20 , 1900 . Equipped with pliers , the one handle on the end has a right angle hook for picking stones out of a horses hooves , A wire cutter in the plier jaws , 2 wrench sizes one on each side of the plier jaws , knife , awl and a screwdriver on the base of the tool . It is 4 1/8 inches long in the closed position . Handles are a jigged bone .
# 2 of the second set again is 2 tools . The one on the left was made by a D . Peres of Germany , I do not have a date on this tool . It is equiped with a hammer , claw , knife , awl , double sided file with a screwdriver tip . Tool is 6 5/8 inches long in the closed position . Handles are of wood .
The second tool is made by Huge Berns of Germany , again I do not have a date on this one but I would guesss both to be from the 50's . This one is equiped with a hammer , claw , hatchet , saw , knife , philipsd and standard screwdriver , file and an awl . Tool is 7 1/8 inches long assembled with hatchet - hammer head on , 3 7/8 inches long with the head off .
# 3 This has three more undated tools , the first two on the left are both pruning multitools . Both made in England . The first on the left is made by Ibberson It is 3 5/8 inches long closed . Note the fold up handle . Handles are of wood . The second is made by Wade Butcher of sheffield . It is 4 1/2 inches long . It also comes with a pull out tweezers . Handles are a jigged bone . The third tool sometimes called a harp tool , sometimes a bow tool .
It comes with a saw , awl , can opener , bottle opener , tack hammer , screw starter , knife , standard screwdriver .
There are many more examples of early multi tools , a great many seem to have been oriented toward fishermen . They having a need for tools of a compact nature .
Any others here with anything to contribute to this discussion ? I will be gone for 2 weeks but I would enjoy seeing this continued .
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2002
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zhasl check here http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310869
Why can I not open the attachement pictures?
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Web master:
When i click the attacehment in the reply of tarsier, the website tell me i have not have permission to access this page.
Why can I not open the attachement pictures?
I am also now having the same problem . I have tried logging out as suggested but still get the message ;
lonediver, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:
Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.
What else can I do rycen or does the webmaster have to do something to fix this ?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Web master:
When i click the attacehment in the reply of tarsier, the website tell me i have not have permission to access this page.
Why can I not open the attachement pictures?
rycen said:
I am also now having the same problem . I have tried logging out as suggested but still get the message ;
lonediver, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:
Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.
What else can I do rycen or does the webmaster have to do something to fix this ?